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Can you lose 30 pounds in 30 days?
Until next time, may you prosper and be in health as your soul prospers.
Absolutely!
Did I? Absolutely not!
Not for a lack of trying. Oh wait. I did just that. I didn’t really try to lose weight at all. But I did easily drop 10 pounds in 30 days by changing a few eating habits. One of which was eating raw food (primarily) 4-5 days out of the week. Some days we did 50/50 meals (half-raw; half-warmed food ~ but always vegetarian), but most of the meals of the day were 100% raw. I also incorporated (most days when I remembered) my MA+ supplement (which helps your own body create a super antioxidant which in turns helps your body detoxify the cells).
I also lost inches. Lost of them. I dropped about 2.5 sizes (from a super tight 14 to a lose 12). Even got in my skinny jeans and need a belt. Yeah! Now that’s some progress.
Could I have lost 30 pounds in 30 days? I think I could have. But that would have meant an even bigger change in my eating habits (probably going all vegetarian and raw food), remembering to take the supplement, and doing some exercising. Oh, I didn’t mention I really didn’t exercise much? Hmmm…I guess I should get on that.
The benefit of losing the weight slowly is that now they won’t be gained back, something it seems is the big downfall with losing a lot of weight very fast. If you stick to a certain diet, of course you will lose weight. It doesn’t even matter what diet you pick. Most will help you lose weight quickly. But then you plateau or if you get off it, even for a day or two, there comes the weight again. It’s like a sneaky thief. Except instead of taking something from you it’s trying to put something back on!
As in finances, slow and steady wins the race. Don’t try to do to much to soon or in a year, or two, or three, you’ll be right back where you started from, except with an extra five or ten pounds! Yes, that’s right. Research shows that many people, when they gain back the weight, bring along a few extra friends.
So leave those bad friends behind for good. Do something wonderful for yourself and begin to incorporate some good eating habits. There’s something to just one good habit. Begin one good habit today and see where it takes you. Feel free to share your one good habit with me below.
Until next time, may you prosper and be in health as your soul prospers.
Strip Down Your Fuzzy Navel
I was at Jerry’s, doing my Sunday afternoon shopping with the parents, having a great time talking. In making my list I had remembered to pick up some pecans because I had been wanting to try Ani Phyo’s Fuzzy Navel Smoothie since I saw the video on YouTube.
But…
By the time I got home I was huuuuuuuungry. Really hungry. I was proud of myself that I did not believe the lies the huge Dorito bags were yelling at me as I passed them to get to the checkout at my second stop, Jewel. I did well to resist the powdered cheese MSG crunchy snack calling my name. It even tried to entice me to eat it before I got home so that I don’t have to explain my wayward ways to the husband. I heard the lies and moved on.
In my haste I added just two ingredients to make my drink: a cup of OJ (250 ml) and a handful of pecans. I put them in my handy dandy Magic Bullet and blended the sucker until it was smooth. I blended about 30 seconds, turned it off for a few seconds, then put it back on for another 30.
The result?
Oh my gosh delicious!
The children even wanted some, so I made a cup and split it between them. I think it’s the perfect serving for them. They loved it, until they asked how I made it and told them it had pecans. Note to self: don’t thell them ANYTHING! LOL Too late kids. You already told mom you loved it; now I got yeah!
I gave some to the husband and he said it tasted like a Dreamcicle. You remember those, don’t you? Yummy. Here is Ani’s original recipe. I think I might add a touch of vanilla for some variation on the next batch.
And Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there. You make a difference when you are involved with your children. I know that my dad did for me and my children have the privledge of having a hands on dad. I am highly blessed.
Till next time, may you prosper and be in health as your soul prospers.
~R
Pass the Mustard, Baby!
Now, you might not be a mustard fan. I'm not particularly, but I do love the Trader Joe's Organic Mustard. It's the only mustard I've tasted that doesn't leave that terrible bitter taste.
What's so good about mustard? I'm glad you asked!
* A great source of selenium and tryptophan
* A very good source of omega 3 fatty acids, phosphorous, manganese
* A good source of dietary fiber, iron, calcium, protein, vitamin B3, and zinc
So how did I easily add this little power punch seed into my diet today? Used some mustard from Trader Joe's in my salad.
Going into my well stocked piles and I pulled out:
* A handful of zucchini previously julienne and cut into pieces
* A handful of beautiful spring mix salad
* I cubed up some tomatoes and cucumber
In a bowl, added a bit of olive oil and put in some mustard. I stirred well until the two were incorporated. Tossed in the above and mixed well with my hands (previously scrubbed of course!). Put it into a pretty bowl, tossed in a bit of pine nuts, and for protein went with two hard-boiled eggs today.
Here's a pic:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1778438&l=1729d8df7f&id=717914098
Some days I just don't want the entire meal raw. But my system is getting so used to the mostly raw food of life that I can't eat meat at the moment. So, I'm going with the signals of the body and eating vegetarian.
So far, feeling energetic and my skinny jeans needs a belt!
Oh yeah!
May you prosper and be in health as your soul prospers,
~Roc
Helping you break the limitations off your spirit, soul, and body so that you can live the length of your days doing what you were created to do.
www.breakyourlimitations.com
All posts and information on this website are for educational purposes only. They are not to be regarded or relied upon as medical advice. The articles and information have not been evaluated by the FDA. Consult your health practitioner if you have health problems. I do not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, mitigate, or prevent a disease or illness. Results may vary per person.
Tired of Going Green??? Go Red Instead!!!
When I was shopping on Sunday my husband asked that I pick up some beets to add to his green morning drink. I know what you might be thinking: ewww, beets? But don’t tune me out just yet…
Yesterday I made a new batch of morning green drinks for us. Man oh man was the color beautiful! I halfway wanted to keep the beet juice to see if I can make a cheek or lip stain. The color was gorgeous!
In the green drink I could not taste the beet at all (I only added one). That little beet’s color was so strong that it made our funky green colored drink into a beautiful light crimson.
That got me thinking, what makes a beet so special?
Here is what I found about our little red friend, the beet:
High in folic acid, potassium, antioxidants, and calcium
Rich in A, B1, B2, C, bioflavonoids, and copper
Some believe that when mixed with carrot or cucumber juice it’s an excellent cleanse for the kidneys or gallbladder.
Some akin it to be a red spinach since it’s rich in folate and the deep beautiful color might be a cancer fighter.
Low in fat and calories
Cholesterol free
Some studies show beet juice help defeat cancer, iron deficiency, anemia, urinary tract infection, kidney stones, and maintain complete health.
“According to John Heinerman, in the Encyclopedia of Healing Juices, beets (and beet juices) are a blood-building herb that detoxifies blood and renews it with minerals and natural sugars.”
That’s a whole lotta punch for such a small veggie!
So, go on. Add a bit of this red into your green and make life a bit more colorful.
May you prosper and be in health as your soul prospers,
~Roc
All posts and information on this website are for educational purposes only. They are not to be regarded or relied upon as medical advice. The articles and information have not been evaluated by the FDA. Consult your health practitioner if you have health problems. I do not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, mitigate, or prevent a disease or illness. Results may vary per person.
Can you do a raw food diet on a budget?
The first thing you have to proactively think about is this: what am I going to eat? I know. It sounds simple, but you really want to plan out (in pencil so that you can remain fluid, you might want something different) what you want to eat during the week. What are you going to put in your green drink/smoothie? Or at least think about what you would like to put in it. Any special recipe you would like to try? Are you going 50/50? If so, what do you need?
This week, as I thought about how much my husband and I were going to eat and what I’ve come to find as my staples, I was able to go to the produce market (locally here in the Chicagoland area it’s Jerry’s in Niles) and buy all our produce (including all the fruit that my two oldest children will eat) plus 2 dozen eggs and 2 gallons of milk for $92. This included more than 40 servings of fruit and enough fruit/veggie mixes for the daily green drinks and soups that we have come to love for lunch. In the price are my servings for the children, which I deducted off my estimation of what the meals are costing for my husband and I.
I don’t buy the nuts from the same place because I know a place the sells it much cheaper. That place locally is Trader Joe’s. They have a great selection at an unbeatable price. I also get avocados and light coconut milk there.
So between the two places we spend under $100 for the two of us. I think that’s a great deal!
Here are my staples:
Cashews (2 bags)
Walnuts (2 bags)
Pine nuts (2 bags)
Almond meal (2 bags)
18 apples (for the green smoothies)
6 apples for snacks
3 bunches of celery
3 bunches of parsley
3 small bags of carrots
Spinach
Broccoli
Plum tomatoes (they blend very well)
Mixed greens
Mushrooms
Peppers
Zucchini
Yellow squash
In season fruit (right now, strawberries, blueberries, and cantaloupe)
Other vegetables for meals
Other fruits for snacks
Avocados
Light coconut milk (3 cans)
Sundried tomatoes (but these last for two weeks)
Wild rice
There you have it. It’s a short list, but you would be amazed on how different everything tastes when you combine different ones together and add different spices. For instance, this week I picked up some baby bok choy and baby eggplants. I’m going to make us some raw lasagna with the eggplants. Might use the bok choy in the green drink. Who knows! I saw how beautiful they were and was inspired to buy it. Okay, the price helped to!
I highly recommend that you go with a list of what you absolutely need to get yourself and then leave a bit of room for inspiration (but not to big a room or you’ll have tons of things left at the end of the week that will go in the garbage). Having a plan is planning to succeed, and when it comes to healthy living, I want you to succeed!
May you prosper and be in health as your soul prospers,
~Roc
Lost 4.5 inches in 1 week! Yeah!
Just wanted to pop in and let you know what is going on:
I lost 4.5 inches with the combination of the raw food diet and taking my MA+ in the morning. Yeah! MA+ is a fantastic product. It helps your body heal itself. I’ve been putting it in the morning with my green drink. Love it. LOVE it. LOVE IT!
My husband, who has been on diabetic medication, has taken either very little or no medicine during the day! He’s also down on what he is taking as his long acting. The most exciting news for us: he’s getting movement back into his hands and is able to move them to play guitar again!
Yeah!
Just wanted to share some good news and encourage you.
God has already provided healing for all of us and it manifests in a variety of ways.
Sometimes it’s miraculous.
Sometimes it’s via medical procedures.
Sometimes it’s through food.
We reap what we sow. Sow life into your body; reap life from your body.
May you prosper and be in health, even if your soul prospers…
~R
Dying Young: Healing Through Food
Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food
This isn't new. This concept is even in the Bible:
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Galatians 6:7
How is this verse the same as what Hippocrates stated? What you sow into your body is what you will reap from those decisions.
So both quotes, from Hippocrates and the Bible, are straight forward and simple.
So what's the problem?
I was asked yesterday: So when you husband is healed of Diabetes, can he eat anything he wants or does he have to stay on this new eating plan? I just looked at her. That's like saying: hey, you lost a hundred pounds. Good for you! Want this box of Twinkies?
Our whole relationship with food is all wrong. We want to eat what we want to eat. Okay, then you will always have what you have always had.
So if you do have Diabetes or have other medical issues and want to see if truly food can be your medicine, how do you change this relationship with food in order to be successful in the long term? How can you continue to eat what you want to eat?
Change your "want". Change how you see your food, plain and simple.
Put food in one of two categories: acceptable to eat, not acceptable to eat. Not this "Oh, I can have this every once in a while" pile. It's either acceptable (even if it is in moderation) or not acceptable. It either gives you life or helps you die. It's really that cut and dry.
Researchers are beginning to find out that this might be the first generation that parents out live their children. Why? Because 5 and 6 year olds are starting to show patterns in their heart that they might have a heart attack at 25. Diabetes is on the rise in children and young adults. We are dying young and this need not be.
My husband and I have not been on our raw food journey long. Actually, it has only been a few days. And yet, I can tell you right now, I'm not turning back. I have so much energy. My skin is already looking better. My husband's glucose levels are coming down. He's getting his energy back. He's already taking less diabetic medication. Even his mood is regulating; he is continually being more like his true self and not the medicated one. He's getting his life back!
I have zero doubt that this is all the hand of God moving in our lives. We know so many people on various forms of medications that are watching us, hoping we succeed in reversing the Diabetes because it gives them hope that they to can be free.
I will tell you right now: by God's grace you are free. You just don't know it yet.
Sometimes it's through prayer that one is healed, for it the great price that Jesus paid on His back.
Sometimes God heals through radical medical treatments.
But I believe the best way to be healed is prevent it all together. God, the Master Scientist and Alpha of all, planned it that way. We were never meant to die. And in the beginning, we were meant to live off the vegetation of the earth. That was the plan.
If you are in the healing journey and are at the point where you can't take it any more, you are in the right place at the right time to commit to live.
After all, what do you have to lose except all your medications and the bad side effects that are happening to your organs, even now as you are reading?
I heard Jack LaLane say: Live food, live body. Dead food. Dead body. He was talking about juicing at the time and it was an infomercial for his juicer. But, that didn't make that statement any less true.
You will reap what you sow. What you reap is entirely up to you.
When it comes to Raw Food or Daniel Fasting, Simplify, Simplify, Simplify
We were talking about what I was creating for food and yummy recipes that were coming to me in times of prayer or just reflecting on the varieties of fruits and veggies and their wide range use of medicinal purposes in our bodies. He asked me for specifics and all I could give him, and to other friends who ended up asking me as well, on how to create them. I don't know. A little of this. A little of that. Keep going until it looks great and taste even better. I promised him, and some of the my other friends, to pay attention next time and right down what I'm doing.
I continued researching, watching videos, and reading yesterday. It seemed that one thing was becoming clear: generally Raw Foodist enjoy the green drinks the best. Out of everything they might teach you on YouTube, their whole being comes alive when they talk about a green drink or show you how to make one. Not that they don't show appreciation for anything else they create or are talking about. But something about that fresh green juice blend does something to their bodies that just satisfies the cells.
After dinner last night (the non-spaghetti spaghetti), my husband tells me: I like the green drink the best.
So I asked: didn't you like the like the soup? His answer: Oh yes! It was very good.
I further asked: what about tonight's non-pasta? His answer: Very tasty. I liked it. I just like the green drink. It's my FAVORITE. I like the other stuff to; but the green drink really is satisfying.
Well, that'll teach me to go all gourmet!
A few hours later while I was putting my 4 month old to bed and began to pray I realized that I needed to simplify things. I noticed what my husband noticed: the green drink really goes to work quickly in the body. For us, it was the most noticeable. I'm sure the other veggie things are doing what they are suppose to do, but there's just something about that green drink.
So now we are switching it up and simplifying our lives even more: going raw with mainly green drink variations during the day. Should we get hungry there will be a protein rich soup available, along with a variety of nuts and fresh fruit to eat. At night we will sit together as a family and enjoy a raw food gourmet meal.
Simple.
And when it comes to changing drastically the way you eat now (from mainstream food to raw), for you to stick with it is to make it simple. Don't try to be the Julia Childs of the Raw Food World right off the bat. You have plenty of time to enjoy the journey and be creative.
To your health and wealth,
~Roc
Reversing Diabetes Inspired: Raw Food, Latina Style Week 1
I will also be tracking my husband’s sugar levels and let you know the difference between last week’s numbers and this weeks. We have also weighed ourselves for the “before” and will weigh ourselves again in about 30 days.
I left work a little early on Friday. The flu started to come on in like gang busters. So mad! Just before I was going to start my raw food feasting to.
Well, that didn’t stop me!
I wasn’t feeling well, but right before I went to bed I was dreaming of a raw food type of cheese soup. Fell asleep when I got home and when I woke up a few hours later, made it. Yummo!
As I was praying, got inspired to create some dishes and they were delicious! Thank God I even made it to work today! Did I just thank God for that? LOL
What’s on the raw food menu today? Get ready to have your mouth watering!
**Breakfast I had a V8 smoothie infused with MA+ and coconut milk
**Snack I will be having an apple and a piece of a double cracker bread I made out of coconut flour, almond meal, cashews, and olive oil. It tastes JUST LIKE a decadent shortbread! I have to control myself it tastes so good. Like a decadent cookie. Okay, not raw but no eggs, no cream, and no regular flour so I’m still counting it! (Don’t judge me)
**Lunch I will be having a spicy avocado coconut soup topped with chilled tomatoes and meatless meatballs that I covered with almond meal. Pretty and delicious. These items are not cooked (raw).
**Snack will be the same as above
**Dinner will be non-pasta fettuccini with from scratch pasta sauce and a small salad. For dessert: vanilla parfaits. Yes, the parfaits are raw but, TASTY! These items are not cooked (raw).
**Snack will be another smoothie
The smoothies were suppose to be green drinks (veggie drinks) but I was so tired yesterday, I just couldn’t get to the juicing. V8 (the fruit/veggie kind) isn’t the perfect solution, but at least it will keep me on track today. I opted for the blueberry blend. Very nice!
I’ve never been so excited to be on on a “diet”.
To keep it simple, Wednesday’s menu will be the same.
I should have brought my camera. The food is so pretty. Almost to pretty to eat.
Almost.
If you want something you've never had, do something you've never done.
-RAWquel
(I know right; what a cornball!)
Postscript:
I've been told today that my food looks to appetizing not to photograph. Others have requested the recipes, as they either want to try them or are going on a Daniel Fast and would like to add it to their collection. Didn't even think that this would be great as a Daniel Fast.
Anyway, whom am I to say no? Will be posting some photos along with recipes. Stay tuned.
Below is the YouTube Preview of this Documentary:
Preparing for Raw Food Diet/ Reverse Diabetes
My main mission in life is help people break the limitations off their lives. This starts in the spirit, but it also involves your soul and body, which is why this is being posted here.
Yesterday one of my Twitter friends ended up commenting on something I said. Gosh, can’t even remember what it was! Signs that perhaps I talk to much! LOL
But I digress…
He told me that he was watching a documentary called Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 days. It’s something inspired by the SuperSize Me documentary on McDonald’s.
Following the life of 6 people on meds, by the end of the film, either they were completed off the meds or have cut it by more than half! Wow! One lady even lost 25 pounds.
I have been feeling as though I needed to reboot my body for a few days before this came up. My husband, as many of you already know, has been on Diabetic medicine for the last 8 years. We hold fast to our confession that God is right: he is healed by the stripes of Jesus. We see medicine as the bandaid, keeping HES alive and well until his healing has fully manifested.
There are a few things I have learned the last couple of weeks that I have started incorporating. For instance, I did some research on anti-inflamatory foods. I made a fresh juice cocktail that infused some AI veggies and fruits with some for energy. The results: HES’ hands, that were constantly in an inflammed state, returned to normal. You could actually see his veins again. His beautiful hands were normal.
Then I stopped juicing.
A few days later, the inflammation returned. HES called me at work to tell me: Roc, it was your juice! Your juice took out the inflammation!
Well, it was God’s idea. How smart is He to put all we need in plants!
So I started juicing again. And while in prayer, I asked the LORD to tell me what to do to reboot our system.
The same day, my Twitter friend (@SchiTownRebel) ended up telling me about the raw food diet.
After doing some research, it turns out that this is something I have to do, for at least a month. I say “have to” because it’s one of those things I feel strongly in my spirit that has to be done at this time. When I told HES about it, he didn’t even blink. He looked at me and said, “So when are we starting?”
So we are beginning on June 1st, which is great since it falls on a Monday and we will be on the raw food kick Monday-Fridays, taking the weekend off to “shock the system”. More on that later.
I will post the results and what we are doing and let you know what I find in research.
In the meantime, I started this morning with a green drink, infused with MA+ (a master antioxidant in a whey protein isolate formula). I’m already feeling quite energetic and feeling like I can take on the world!
May you prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.
~Roc
Following me on Twitter:
@Raquel_Soto
P.S. I'm uploading this now after 8PM Central Time. One thing happened today that wasn't expected: I didn't have my normal strong cravings for chocolate. Now that's a miracle in itself!
Till next time,
Beloved, may you prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers...